from introduction:

Recently doubt has emerged over the notion that economic markets occur naturally. Given the extent to which they regulate the lives of human beings and impact upon other natural actions, many scholars argue that marketplaces are intentionally created with the purpose of achieving individual interests and goals. Following this line of thought, the present paper is focused on examining the conditions and circumstances under which the trade and commercial connections between individuals, and later on between state structures occurred. The following analysis is an attempt to discover whether markets emerged as a result of natural human behaviour or as a result of intentional human intervention in societal relations. Therefore a core element in the proceeding analysis is the concept of social relations and the construction of society. Through an examination of Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s theories on the social interconnection of individuals, the paper continues to analyze the role played by marketplaces on the structure of society and the relationship between these two concepts. The discussion is also primarily structured around the heated debate on the origin of money and the roots of the current monetary system. The importance of this focus relates to the fact that in order to build a complete and clear picture of the modern economic system, by tracing back causal links and identifying the essence of the most crucial issues, the scientific community must be provided with the correct factual base. Without recognizing the fundamentals, each subsequent piece of scientific research is likely to prove insufficient and consequently ineffective.